R. v. Gagne (H.), (2011) 516 A.R. 386 (PC)

• Judge: Anderson, P.C.J.
• Court: Provincial Court of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: July 15, 2011
• Citations: (2011), 516 A.R. 386 (PC);2011 ABPC 220

R. v. Gagne (H.) (2011), 516 A.R. 386 (PC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2011] A.R. TBEd. JL.159

Her Majesty The Queen v. Helen Gagne (090731688P1; 2011 ABPC 220)

Indexed As: R. v. Gagne (H.)

Alberta Provincial Court

Anderson, P.C.J.

July 15, 2011.

Summary:

The 42 year old accused pleaded guilty to attempted murder and dangerous driving after she deliberately tried to run down her estranged husband with her vehicle.

The Alberta Provincial Court sentenced the accused to 27 months' imprisonment for attempted murder and five months (concurrent) for dangerous driving. After double credit for 11 months' pre-trial custody, the net sentence left to be served was five months' imprisonment.

Criminal Law - Topic 5831.9

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Domestic violence - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5881 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5834.10

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Mental state - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5881 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5848.7

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Denunciation or repudiation of conduct - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5881 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5865

Sentence - Dangerous driving - [See Criminal Law - Topic 5881 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 5881

Sentence - Murder (incl. attempts) - The 42 year old accused pleaded guilty to attempted murder and dangerous driving after she deliberately tried to run down her estranged husband with her vehicle - The accused went to the marital home, breaching non-contact provisions of her recognizance, to retrieve her vehicle - The husband, unexpectedly home, called 911 to report that the accused was going to kill him (no such intention at that time) - The accused "snapped" - The husband fled on foot - The accused pursued him in her vehicle - She made three attempts to run him over - She hit a fence, a concrete garbage receptacle near a bus shelter, and rammed a parked vehicle the husband was hiding behind - The accused stopped only when the last collision disabled her vehicle - The husband was uninjured - The Alberta Provincial Court sentenced the accused to 27 months' imprisonment for attempted murder and five months (concurrent) for dangerous driving - After double credit for 11 months' pre-trial custody, the net sentence left to be served was five months' imprisonment - Mitigating factors included this being impulsive, non-premeditated conduct from an emotionally fragile accused (diminished responsibility), her guilty plea, her remorse and acceptance of full responsibility and the lack of a criminal record - Aggravating factors included the endangerment of other persons in the area, the three separate attempts to run over the husband, an element of domestic violence, and the accused's breach of a recognizance requiring her to stay away from the marital home and her husband - The degree of risk was high and there was an intention to kill which was brief, but more than fleeting - Although the conduct was an aberration in an otherwise pro-social life, denunciation was required to meet the proportionality principle.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Tkachuk (E.A.) (2001), 293 A.R. 171; 257 W.A.C. 171; 2001 CarswellAlta 1318 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Boucher (R.) (2004), 187 O.A.C. 378; 2004 CarswellOnt 2593 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Dennis (R.F.) (2005), 218 B.C.A.C. 67; 359 W.A.C. 67; 2005 CarswellBC 2529 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Lysak (D.J.) (2006), 401 A.R. 14; 391 W.A.C. 14; 2006 CarswellAlta 1427 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Cuthbert (R.B.) (2007), 249 B.C.A.C. 60; 414 W.A.C. 60; 2007 CarswellBC 2816 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Ryan, 2008 CarswellOnt 4726 (C.J.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Ryan, 2009 CarswellOnt 2216 (C.J.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Bryan (A.C.) (2008), 272 N.S.R.(2d) 246; 869 A.P.R. 246; 2008 CarswellNS 711 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. K.G. (2010), 266 O.A.C. 334; 2010 CarswellOnt 1289 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Mills (S.A.) (2006), 218 O.A.C. 67 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 43].

R. v. Gionet (1977), 22 N.S.R.(2d) 316; 31 A.P.R. 316 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 43].

R. v. Rondeau (P.A.J.) (1999), 103 O.T.C. 31 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 43].

R. v. Bradford (A.S.), [2010] A.R. Uned. 370 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 43].

R. v. J.L.M.A. (2010), 499 A.R. 1; 514 W.A.C. 1; 2010 ABCA 363, refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Laberge (K.K.) (1995), 165 A.R. 375; 89 W.A.C. 375 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Hillier (G.M.) (1998), 166 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 245; 511 A.P.R. 245; 1998 CarswellNfld 187 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Chan (D.) (1992), 54 Q.A.C. 23; 1992 CarswellQue 337 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Valiquette (1990), 37 Q.A.C. 8; 1990 CarswellQue 27 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Mulgrew, 1986 CarswellOnt 1743 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Symes (1989), 32 O.A.C. 102; 1989 CarswellOnt 979 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Roud, 1981 CarswellOnt 50 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Bobyak (D.) (1999), 243 A.R. 393; 1999 CarswellAlta 418 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Baird, 1999 CarswellMan 591 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Beckner (1984), 5 O.A.C. 34; 1984 CarswellOnt 1240 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Cozzi, 2001 CarswellOnt 1779 (C.J.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Jacobson (1985), 61 A.R. 254; 1985 CarswellAlta 491 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Chisholm (C.B.) (1998), 169 N.S.R.(2d) 328; 508 A.P.R. 328; 1998 CarswellNS 234 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Marchbank (1990), 82 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 17; 257 A.P.R. 17; 1990 CarswellPEI 3 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Wright (N.B.) (2003), 349 A.R. 125; 2003 CarswellAlta 1240 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Abu Gosh (A.), [2006] A.R. Uned. 430; 2006 CarswellAlta 926 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Stone (M.F.) (2001), 161 B.C.A.C. 181; 263 W.A.C. 181; 2001 CarswellBC 2817 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Randhawa (A.S.) (2007), 249 B.C.A.C. 87; 414 W.A.C. 87; 2007 BCCA 598, refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Cyr (R.W.), [2006] A.R. Uned. 31; 2006 ABCA 114, refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Sandercock (1985), 62 A.R. 382; 22 C.C.C.(3d) 79 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Fitzgerald, 1991 CarswellBC 1723 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Hogan, 2005 CarswellOnt 2881 (C.J.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Santos (J.) (1993), 67 O.A.C. 270; 1993 CarswellOnt 1156 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Daya (H.) (2007), 229 O.A.C. 291; 2007 ONCA 693, refd to. [para. 52].

Counsel:

James E. Stewart, for the Crown;

Harold Brubaker, for the accused.

This matter was heard at Edmonton, Alberta, before Anderson, P.C.J., of the Alberta Provincial Court, who delivered the following judgment on July 15, 2011.